The moment the black and white energies entered the furnace, the Demon Fire erupted in a violent surge.

SIZZLE!

A strange crackling sound suddenly came from within the furnace, and Qin Xuan’s expression changed drastically.

’This is bad. The medicinal properties are conflicting, and the yin and yang are out of balance...’

The painful memory of his last failure, which had left his face coated in soot, flashed vividly before his eyes.

Qin Xuan shot backward, immediately bit his fingertip, and flicked three drops of crimson Essence Blood into the furnace.

Under the enhancement of the Essence Blood, the previously turbulent and unstable furnace fire finally settled. A rosy glow emerged, and a rich fragrance filled the air.

But Qin Xuan let out a long sigh, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and shook his head with a bitter smile.

’I failed again.’

A true Crystal Condensation Opening Pill should be colorless and odorless upon completion.

He had originally thought that with the Magical Treasure, the Yin Yang Demon Refining Furnace, its Artifact Spirit would help with the Alchemy, and that the biggest difficulty would be the Thousand-Year Soul Nourishing Wood.

But now, Qin Xuan realized that he himself was the biggest problem!

’Why can’t the Artifact Spirit perform Alchemy on its own?!’

"Hahaha, I told you, didn’t I, little master? Alchemy isn’t as easy as you think. With your half-assed skills, you could try eight hundred times and still fail."

The Cyan-robed Little Daoist Child gloated from the side, clutching his stomach and roaring with laughter.

Furious, Qin Xuan grabbed a handful of the dregs from the just-completed refinement and stuffed them into the Eight Desolates Forging Fire Furnace. The Cyan-robed Little Daoist Child instantly flew into a rage.

"Damn you! Stop it, you scoundrel! You’re stuffing trash on me again!"

Qin Xuan enjoyed this immensely, and much of the gloom from his failed Alchemy attempt dissipated.

Although the Alchemy wasn’t successful, his Cultivation was steadily improving. At worst, he could just take his time refining the Pill from now on.

The only issue was that his previous stock of ingredients had been completely used up. Gathering more herbs and materials would take more time.

’Sigh, I have to figure out a way to get some more money again.’

Qin Xuan was feeling a bit melancholic. Just as he stood up, a Divine Sense probed him from the outside, and his expression turned cold.

...

「Meanwhile, outside Heart Rot Valley」 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"Valley Master Qin is still practicing Alchemy?" Liu Mobai’s figure slowly materialized.

Behind him were over a dozen Demon Cultivators, an imposing and powerful retinue.

Familiar faces to Qin Xuan, like Ji Boying, Wei Qingyi, and Hou Qi, were among them. Even the Beast Skin Demon Cultivator was there, along with Wang Qianru and Fang Mingshan from next door.

Yu Qi knelt and said, "The Demon Cultivator Yu Qi pays his respects to Director Liu!"

Liu Mobai was the Holy Sect’s preparatory Demon Child and the Director of the Divine Sword Pavilion. In terms of status, he was even above Ji Bochang, the Deputy Tower Master of the Vast Qi Tower.

However, his Cultivation was strangely still at the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment Twelfth Level, yet every move he made overflowed with a vibrant starlight.

It was as if he could break through at any moment.

"There is no need for such formalities."

With a SNAP, Liu Mobai opened the folding fan in his hand and smiled gently. "When will Junior Brother Qin be able to come out of seclusion?"

Yu Qi trembled as he replied, "The Valley Master has been in seclusion for over three months. I do not know when he will emerge. However, before he went into seclusion, the Valley Master ordered that no matter who comes, his quiet cultivation must not be disturbed..."

Liu Mobai’s pupils, one black and one white like yin and yang, seemed to contain the orbiting sun and moon. He asked with a smile, "Not even me?"

Yu Qi’s expression froze. Drenched in sweat, he swallowed hard, fell to his knees with a THUD, and forced himself to say with a quavering, near-sobbing voice, "Director, please don’t make things difficult for this lowly one. Even you... even you... cannot!"

Having said his piece, Yu Qi squeezed his eyes shut, as if he had already foreseen his fate.

Unexpectedly, Liu Mobai suddenly burst into laughter.

"Junior Brother Qin has raised a good dog. Not bad. Reward him!"

Liu Mobai waved his hand, and a Foundation Establishment Incense Master from behind him bowed and stepped forward. He took out a fist-sized, crystalline, purplish-red jade stone from his sleeve and shoved it into Yu Qi’s arms.

Yu Qi froze, then couldn’t help but tremble all over, his face lighting up with ecstasy.

’A mid-grade spirit stone! It’s actually a mid-grade spirit stone!’

Yu Qi kowtowed repeatedly. THUD, THUD. His voice trembled, "Thank you, Director, for the reward! This lowly one is endlessly grateful."

The Spiritual Farmers to the side looked at Yu Qi, their eyes filled with envy.

They thought that if they had known, they would have joined Steward Yu in blocking the way. But then, recalling the preparatory Demon Child Liu Mobai’s unpredictable behavior, a shiver ran through them.

’Forget it. Steward Yu might have succeeded, but if it were me, I’d probably be lying on the ground right now.’

"Junior Brother Qin’s talent is extraordinary. I recall it wasn’t long ago that word spread of him being a Tier Two Artifact Refiner, and now he’s able to refine Pills on his own."

Liu Mobai waited quietly outside the Earth Fire Room, chatting with an Incense Master accompanying him, unable to hold back his praise.

"Give him some time, and I’m afraid even my position as the preparatory Demon Child will have to be handed over to him."

The purple-robed Female Cultivator beside him smiled, her charm captivating.

"Director Liu, you praise him too much. How could Pills be so easy to refine? If that were the case, Pill Cultivators in our Holy Sect wouldn’t be in such high demand."

But no sooner had her voice fallen than a rich fragrance suddenly wafted out from the Earth Fire Room.

Bai Lingwei’s beautiful eyes widened in astonishment.

"A rosy pill-glow and a room-filling fragrance... are these the signs of a successfully refined Pill?!"

Bai Lingwei was dressed in a well-tailored, purplish-red long dress that accentuated her tall figure. She had an oval face, a high-bridged nose, full red lips, and a gentle, moving temperament.

She released her Divine Sense, about to step forward for a closer look, when she ran headlong into Qin Xuan, who had just emerged from his seclusion.

"Who dares to spy on my Cave Mansion..."

Qin Xuan roared angrily, the fragrance of the Pill wafting from his body. He had just opened the main gate of his Cave Mansion when he felt a soft, fragrant, and voluptuous body crash into his arms.

He grabbed on instinct.

"Ah!" Bai Lingwei’s pretty face turned crimson, looking as if it might start bleeding, and she quickly retreated.

Only then did Qin Xuan realize that a large crowd had gathered outside his Cave Mansion at some point.

"Valley Master Qin, I didn’t mean to offend. I was simply too curious..." Bai Lingwei explained in a soft, whimpering voice.

Qin Xuan gave a slight wave of his hand, magnanimously forgiving her.

"Junior Brother Qin, allow me to introduce you. This is a direct blood relative of the esteemed Pure Yang Soul Capturing Demon Monarch, Incense Master Bai of the Blood Loan Money Shop’s Credit Division."

Liu Mobai said with a beaming, teasing smile.

’A direct blood relative of the legitimate daughter... so, a granddaughter?’

’Another one who got here through connections!’

Qin Xuan immediately switched to a fawning expression. "I am Qin Xuan. A pleasure to meet you, Incense Master Bai."

Bai Lingwei’s expression returned to normal, though her earlobes were still slightly red. She asked curiously.

"Valley Master Qin, you’re too kind. I just saw the fragrance of a pill wafting from the room, and there seemed to be faint signs of pill veins forming. May I ask what Tier Two Elixir Valley Master Qin was refining, and whether you were successful?"

Qin Xuan answered truthfully, "I am untalented. In my desire to increase my chances of breaking through to the Purple Mansion, I was attempting to refine the Crystal Condensation Opening Pill. Unfortunately, I ended in failure."

Bai Lingwei’s lips parted in surprise.

’It was actually the Tier Two Top Grade Pill, the Crystal Condensation Opening Pill!’

"Valley Master Qin, you’re being modest,"

Bai Lingwei shook her head slightly.

"Once you begin refining the Crystal Condensation Opening Pill, there’s no such thing as failure. Furthermore, only a Tier Three Alchemy Master is qualified to successfully refine it. I never imagined Senior Brother Qin’s attainments in the Alchemy Dao were so high, even surpassing my own. I am truly impressed."

Bai Lingwei was filled with admiration.

"Huh?"

Qin Xuan froze, almost unable to process what she’d said.

’What does she mean there’s no such thing as failure once you start refining it? Then what about all those Spiritual Plants I wasted before...?’ Qin Xuan was heartbroken.

’It turns out I was just too useless and wasted all those herbs!’

Liu Mobai laughed. "You two can stop flattering each other. Junior Brother Qin, I have a great opportunity for you. I wonder if you might be interested?"

As soon as he heard the word "opportunity," Qin Xuan’s interest was piqued.

"I’m all ears."

Liu Mobai said, "I intend to travel to the Star Ruins to guide my Life Star and open the strongest Star Mansion. The journey will be fraught with powerful enemies, and there is a risk of death. I have come specially to invite you, Junior Brother Qin, to form a team and go with me."

"The Spirit Medicines you lack for the Crystal Condensation Opening Pill are abundant in the Star Ruins. I can also help you obtain them. What do you think, Junior Brother Qin?"

Qin Xuan’s expression changed dramatically.

’Inviting me to team up for a dungeon run?’

’How is that any different from a suicide mission?’ Without a second thought, Qin Xuan was about to refuse.

’Who the hell knows what tricks Liu Mobai has up his sleeve.’

Behind Liu Mobai, Wei Qingyi was also frantically making eye contact with Qin Xuan, even sending a message via Telepathy.

"Old Qin, don’t go! It’s extremely dangerous!"

Ji Boying, meanwhile, had a bruised and swollen face, as if he had just been thoroughly beaten.

As for Hou Qi, he was tied up hand and foot and stuffed in a sack, with only his furry head sticking out, a rag stuffed in his mouth.

"Mph, mmmph..." Hou Qi whimpered, apparently also trying to stop Qin Xuan.

Seeing the state of these men, Qin Xuan became even more firm in his decision. Just as he was about to speak, the giant sphere of light in his mind suddenly began to flash.

Three Ancient Bamboo Sticks flew out.

[Top-Top Lottery: Agree decisively and go to the Star Ruins. The journey will be safe and harmless. You can obtain an opportunity for a Sixth Grade Life Star. Great Fortune!]

[Middle-Lower Draw: Refuse decisively. You will be dragged along by force. The risk is considerable. You can obtain an opportunity for a Ninth Grade Life Star. Ill Fortune!]

[The Worst Draw: Avoid the trial and remain in Heart Rot Valley. You will be caught in the aftershock of a Golden Core’s demise and die without a burial place. Great Misfortune!]